Wheel structure



Sept. 15, 1953 N 2,652,286

WHEEL STRUCTURE Original Filed Nov. 24, 1944 mill/I" Ink E 27/0? QeoryeA/berz Lyon Patented Sept. 15, 1953 2,652,286

UNITED STATES PATENT orncr,

WHEEL STRUCTURE George Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich.

6 Claims. (CL 301-37) This invention relates to a; wheel. structuretending attachment flange 8- while an intermeand more particularly to anornamental cover diate generally outwardly bulging annular reinfordisposition over the outer side 01 a. vehicle forcing body portion ofthe wheel body includes wheel. a radially inner axially outwardlybulging rib An object of this invention is to provide an 5 9, a radiallyouter axially outwardly bulging rib improved wheel structure that isdevoid. of. rat- I0 and an intermediate axially inwardly bulging tling,squeaks or similar undesirable noises, and rib H alfording a sinuous,multi-rib reinforcing moreover a cover which when applied will fit bodyfor the wheel, the intermediate inwardly closely to the wheelirrespective of manufacturbulging rib defining an axially outwardlyopening tolerances in the disposition of: the wheel ing annular'groove'I 2.

body and the tire rim. The tire rim 6 maybe formed; as 2: rolled sheetAn h r Object f the inv n i 1S pr v metal section including? a baseflange l3 attached a novel, ornamental, disc-like cover for attachto theattachment flange 8 of the wh l; body,

ment to the central or nav p 01' a Wh el in At its: outer side, the tirerimlhas" a side flange M such a way as to cause the cover-to be heldundiverging from the base flange l3 and merging der tension against theside of the wheel so as witha generally axially outwardly extending intoprevent loosening of the bolts during usa e termediate flange [5 whichin. turn merges with of the vehicle. a generally radially outwardly and.then axially A further object of the invention is to provide outwardly trned termi al: flang H, A shoulan impr ved; s mplified structur f r d na d'er' I8 is formed at juncture of the intermediate multi-part cover ona wheel and which structure flange |5 th t te flange n The is rugged, cm a 0 manufacturer and flanged arrangement of the tire rim is such as toliable in use. afford a multi-flangesection providing a drop Stillanother object of the invention: is to procenter pneumatic tire and tubeassembly supvide a composite GOVGI' for disposition at theOutportingstructurfor carrying a, time and tube as. er side of a vehiclewheel and in which 0118 Of sembly $9,. the tube havinga valve stem 20'which the cover portions is attachable and removable pro ect through avalve stem aperture H in the from the other of the cover components insnapid flange M, on pry-off relationship The wheel is attached to avehicle by means of Yet another object of the inv nti n is P 0Ofastening bolts or cap screws 22' by which the vide a novel Wheelstructure a portion 0 1 113-0 flange 1 is ecured to an axle: part 23. fof the wheel is in tensionecl engagement with an a, Vehicle and t whicha brake drum 4 inner part of the tire rim while an outer portion f t dof the cover is in such relation to the tire rim ex- The cover 4comprises an annular cover memtremity that suc ou portion may Yieldrelaher 25 which is secured in position on the wheel, tive to t e tirerim under Pressureand a central hub cap cover member 21.

Other objects, features and advantages or the The annular member 25 isof a diameter and Present invention will P appear from expanse tosubstantially cover the outer side of the following detailed descriptionof a prefer the tire rim and the Wheel ma and has a embodiment thereoftakenin conjunction with 40 trail boltmn flangeportion 28 which is f m dthe accompanying drawings wherein: substantially complementary to thebolt-on Figure 1 is a side view of a vehicle wheel inflange 7 of theWheel body, having correspond eluding a cover structure embodying thefeatures ingly stepped aperwmd and flanged structure to of h presentinvention; n facilitate alignment thereof with the bolt aper- Figure 2is an enlarged, fragmentary raqwl tures in the bolt-on flange 1 and toprovide resectional view taken substantially on; the line cessedportions seating the tapered: head II-II of Figure portions of thebolts. 22 by which the cover bolt- In the illustrated form of thepresent inven' on flange 2B is clamped. securely to the wheel tion, acomposite full covering wheel cover 4- is b bopbon flange 1 By thisarrangement, disposed at the outer side of a vehicle wheel inwhen theWheel is removed fzgom t vehicle: t elud a Wheel y 5 and tire rim Thecover is at the same time detached from the wheel body is preferablymade from relatively wheel 50 as to be applied to the replacement heavysheet material and may be in the form wheel.

of a metallic stamping including a central bolt- The cover part 25 isshaped and related to on flange I and an outer generally axially extheouter side of the wheel as to be placed under tension when clamped andsecured to the body part by the bolts 22. To this end, the outer marginof the annular cover part 25 is dimensioned to lie against the shoulderI8 on the tire rim, while the remainder of the cover part 25 between thebolt-on flange 28 thereof and the outer margin of the cover part remainsout of contact with the wheel body and the tire rim. The arrangement issuch that when the cover part 25 is applied to the wheel, the outermargin thereof first contacts the shoulder 18 and thereafter the centralbolt-on flange 28 is drawn against the wheel bolt-on flange 1 by thebolts 22 so that the outer margin of the cover part is held resilientlyin tight engagement with the rounded shoulder portion [8 of the tirerim.

From the outer margin, the cover annulus 25 extends generally radiallyand axially inwardly to an axially inwardly projecting annularintermediate rib 29 which extends into the wheel body groove l2 inspaced relation and merges with an annular rib 30 on the annular coverpart projecting substantially axially outwardly over the wheel body rib9. At its inner side the cover rib 3c merges with the bolt-on flange 28of the cover.

At its outer side the annular cover rib 30 is formed with a generallyaxially inwardly and radially outwardly sloping surface 3| whichadjacent to the peak of the rib 33 is formed with a series of generallyradially outwardly projecting cover retaining protrusions or bumps 32for retainingly engaging with the margin of the central cover member 21.For this purpose, the central .cover member 21 provides a generallycrowned convex member having a marginal bead 33 of a diameter to engagein snap-on pry-off relation behind the bumps 32 and with the beadresting against the sloping surface 3| of the annular cover memberserving as a centering, retaining shoulder for the bead 30. Thus, whenthe cover 21 is snapped into retained position on the surface 3i of thecover rib 35, it is held effectively not only against displacementaxially outwardly but also against skewing relative to the annular covermember 25 since the shoulder provided by the sloping surface 3| and theretaining bumps 32 cooperate to hold the central cover member 21centered with respect to the annular cover member 25 in concentricconcealing relation to the central bolt-on flange 28 and the rib 30.

To facilitate pry-off, the side 3! of the rib 38 extends substantiallybeyond the cover bead 33 so that a pry-off tool can conveniently beapplied behind the marginal bead 33 to pry the central circular cover 21from the annular cover member 25.

An opening 34 is provided in the cover 25 for projection of the valvestem 20.

It is desirable to cover the entire outer side of the tire rim 6,including the terminal flange l1. However that portion of the coverwhich extends into overlying relation to the terminal flange I1 isliable to substantial abuse by reason of proximity to the tire and alsoby reason of the fact that this portion of the assembly is most liableto be run against curbing or other obstructions. In order to minimizedamaging stresses and strains upon the tire rim terminal flange coveringportion of cover portion may be so related to the body of the annularcover member 25 so as to be somewhat yieldable relative to the tire rimterminal To this end, the outer extremity of 4 the cover assemblycomprises an annular cover portion 35 of preferably generally convexcross section extending from the outer marginal portion of the covermember 25 that rests against the tire rim shoulder l8 into overlyingrelation to the terminal flange l1 and radially beyond the tip of theterminal flange but spaced axially outwardly therefromso as to have arange of relativemovement clearance with respect to the terminal flange.At its outer edge the cover member 35 is preferably formed with a turnedv under narrow reinforcing flange 3'1.

the cover, such 7' ing a shoulder at the At its inner margin, theannular outer cover member 35 is formed with a generally radiallyoutwardly extending underturned flange 38 which is lock seamed with anoutturned and generally radially inwardly extending flange 39 at theouter extremity of the cover member 25. Through this arrangement, theouter annular cover member 35 can have a limited range of both axial andradially inward flexing movement with respect to both the tire rimterminal flange l1 and the cover member 25 whereby to relieve the covermember 35 from undue stress and also relieving the cover member 25 fromsuch stresses as are imposed upon the cover member 35 when it isresiliently flexed or deflected for any reason.

All portions of the cover t can be made from a suitable sheet material,and the outer extremity cover annulus 35, especially, is preferably madefrom a material of substantial inherent resilience, the transverselycurved cross sectional shape of the member 35 enhancing its resilience.

The present application is a division of my application Serial No.564,971, filed November 24, 1944, now Patent No. 2,541,079, datedFebruary 13, 1951.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eflectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a wheel including a multiflanged rim part, a bodypart having a radially outwardly stepped center portion, a disc-likeornamental wheel cover disposed over said body part and over a portionof said rim part and having a correspondingly stepped center portionclamped in nested relationship with said body part center portion andincluding an axially and outwardly extending curved portion spaced fromsaid body part and disposed circularly about the axis of said cover, anda plurality of protuberances struck out radially outwardly of saidcurved portion for detachably supporting a hub cap, said cover-includinga separate ring secured to the outer peripheral edge of said wheel coverand adapted to overhang the exposed outer edge of said rim part.

2. In a wheel structure including a wheel body and a multi-flanged' tirerim, the tire rim havbase of the terminal'flange of the tire rim and'thewheel body having a pair of axially outwardly protruding annular ribswith an intervening annular groove, a cover having an annular portionwith a radially inner part for attachment to the wheel body radiallyinwardly from the radially innermost of said body ribs, said annularcover member having an undulating cross section including a generallyaxially outwardly projecting annular rib overlying the radiallyinnermost rib of the wheel body and a generally axially inwardlyextending annular rib extendinginto said groove, the cover memberradially outwardly from said axially inwardly extending rib extendinggenerally axially and radially outwardly and having a marginal portionlying against said tire rim shoulder, said cover member axiallyoutwardly extending rib having radially outwardly projecting coverretaining bumps on the radially outer side thereof, and a circular covermember overlying the central portion and axially outwardly extending ribof the annular cover member and having a beaded margin engaging insnap-on, pry-off relation behind said bumps.

3. In a wheel structure including a Wheel body and a multi-flanged tirerim, the tire rim having a shoulder at the base of the terminal flangeof the tire rim and the wheel body having a pair of axially outwardlyprotruding annular ribs with an intervening annular groove, a coverhaving an annular portion with a radially inner part for attachment tothe wheel body radially inwardly from the radially innermost of saidbody ribs, said annular cover member having an undulating cross sectionincluding a generally axially outwardly projecting annular rib overlyingthe radially innermost rib of the wheel body and a generally axiallyinwardly extending annular rib extending into said groove, the covermember radially outwardly from said axially inwardly extending ribextending generally axially and radially outwardly and having a marginalportion lying against said tire rim shoulder, said cover member axiallyoutwardly extending rib having radially outwardly projecting coverretaining bumps on the radially outer side thereof, and a circular covermember overlying the central portion and axially outwardly extending ribof the annular cover member and having a beaded margin engaging insnap-on, pry-off relation behind said bumps, the radially outer marginof said annular cover member having an ornamental annulus of convexcross section attached thereto and extending generally radially andaxially outwardly in concealing relation to the tire rim terminalflange.

4. In a wheel structure including a Wheel body and a multi-fianged tirerim, the tire rim having an intermediate generally axially extendingflange and a terminal flange including a generally radially extendingportion and an axially extending extremity portion, the juncture of theintermediate flange and the radially extending portion of the terminalflange providing an outwardly facing shoulder, a cover member disposedat the outer side of the Wheel and having a margin bearing against saidshoulder and another portion extending axially and radially outwardlybeyond said shoulder and overlying said axially extending portion of theterminal flange in spaced relation.

5. In a wheel structure and a multi-flanged tire ally outwardlyextending a terminal flange and an intermediate flange thereof, a coverdisposed at the outer side of the wheel and including a cover member ingenerally concealing relation to the wheel body and the tire rim andhaving its outer margin hearing against said shoulder, and an annularrelatively narrow cover member having its inner margin secured to saidouter margin and extending generally axially and radially outwardly inconcealing relation to the tire rim terminal flange, said annular covermember lying in spaced relation both radially outwardly and axiallyoutwardly from the tip of the terminal flange and being resilientlymovable relative thereto for shock and stress relieving purposes.

6. In a wheel structure including a wheel body and a multi-flanged tirerim including a generally outwardly extending shoulder at juncture of aterminal flange and an intermediate flange thereof, a cover disposed atthe outer side of the wheel and including a cover member in generallyconcealing relation to the wheel body and the tire rim and having itsouter margin bearing against said shoulder, and an annular relativelynarrow cover member having its inner margin secured to said outer marginand extending generally axially and radially outwardly in concealingrelation to the tire rim terminal flange, said annular cover memberlying in spaced relation both radially outwardly and axially outwardlyincluding a wheel body rim including a genershoulder at juncture of fromthe tip of the terminal flange and being resiliently movable relativethereto for shock and stress relieving purposes, both the inner andouter margins of said annular cover member being turned under forenhancing the resilience of said annular cover member.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

